Relay



R. C. LEAKE.

RELAY. l APPucAHoN man APR.25. 1918.`

R. C. LEAKE.

RELAY.

` AvvucAnoN-men APR.25. 191B.

Patented June 29, 1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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RICHARD C. LEAKE, F ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL RAILWAYSIGNAL COMPANY, OF GATES, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

RELAY.

Application filed April 25,

To all fav/wm it may concern:

Be it known that I, RICHARD C. LEAKE, a citizen of the United States,and resident of the city of Rochester, in the county of Monroe and StateofNew York, have invented a new and useful Relay, of which the followingis a specification.

This invention relates to relays, and par` ticularly to relays of thepolarized type used in vrailway signaling systems.

In railway signaling systems there are many instances where it isdesirable to transmit from one point to a distant point three differentand distinctive indications. For example, in interlocking systems, it isdesirable to indicate whether the switch points of a switch are in thenormal position, or in the reversek position, or in some intermediateposition. In transmitting these three different indications electricallythere are certain well known advantages in using a so called polarizedcircuit, that is, a circuit in which the polarity of the curV rentliowing as well as the making and breaking of the circuit is used todistinguish between the indications. Among other things, such polarizedcircuits have the advantage that improper breaking and crossings of thewires will not cause a false operation to occur, except in very remoteinstances, which are very unlikely to occur. ln constructingelectromagnetic devices or relays for use in connection with suchpolarized circuits, it is found that the tractive type has valuablefeatures, of simplicity,- cheapness of construction, and economy inoperation; but such polarized relays as at present constructed are notreadily adapted to control groups of a number of circuits, since thepolarized armature cannot readily be provided with the necessary numberof contact fingers needed to control such number of circuits.

Tit-h these considerations in view, one of the principal objects of thisinvention is to.

devise a polarized direct current/relay of the tractive type which willrespond to the polarity of current supplied to it as well. as to thepresence or absence of such current, and which can be used to controlselectively different groups of a number of circuits.

A. further object of this invention is to provide a relay of thetractive type which will control one group of circuits when energized bydirect current of a certain po- Speciiication of Letters Patent.

Patented June 29, 1920.

191s. serial No, 230,675.

larity, a different group of circuits when energized by directv currentof an opposite polarity, and which will not control either of saidgroups when current is cut off.

A further object of my invention is to design and construct a directcurrent polarized relay which 4will have the desired capacity forcontrolling circuits and which which like reference characters refer tocor-pV responding parts throughout the several views, and in which:

Figure l is a plan view showing the under side of a relay embodying myinvention, the base portion of the casing being omitted in order thatthe operating parts of the relay may be clearly shown;

Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the relay, showing yin elevation thepolary armature and other operating parts of the relay;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the polar armature, itscoperating pole pieces and contacts controlled thereby;

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view, showing in perspective the operatingparts of the relay, and also the circuits for controlling the operationof the same; and

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a modified construction of the permanentmagnets of the polar armature.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, the preferred form of myinvention illustrated comprises two separate pairs of coils D and Earranged side by side. Each pair of relay coils is provided with theusual back strap 2 and cores 3 and 4, which are Jfastened t0 a commoncoil support 5 secured to a top plate 6 of a relay casing, best shown inFig. 2. The casing com# prises a base plate 7, the carrying or top plate6, and glass walls or sidesv8. These glass wallsS consist ot separateplates of glass he.1 d together at the corners by spring clips 9, asshown in Fig'. l. The glass walls 8 are seated within flanges on theplates n and 7, which are clamped together by screws l0; and withgaskets` 1l between the walls 8 and top and bottom plates 6 and 7respectively, the housing 'forms a damp proof chamber for the workingparts of the relay.

An armature l2 is provided for each pair of coils l) and l; and ispivotally secured to lugs 13 integral with the coil support 5. Carriedby but insulated trom the armatures l2 are contact fingers lil, whichare provided at one end with a pair oil'A resilient contact pieces 'l5and i6. These contact pieces 1.5 and 1G are adapted to cooperate with,Fixed back contacts and front contacts F, respectively. The oppositeends of the contact lingers le are electrically connected by flexibleconnections 17 to binding posts A, which are secured to and insulatedfrom the carrying plate 6. The front and back contacts F and B aresecured to and insulated from the carrying plate G in, a manner wellknown to those skilled in the art of relay construction, and since thisconstruction is fully shown in Fig. 2 et the drawings, further detaileddescription is unnecessary. The contacts of the relay may be arranged ingroups et any desired number of contacts, and may be either front orback contacts, or both, as required.

Pivotally supported between the two pairs oli coils D and l is a polararmature l which is adapted to cooperate with a. pole piece ot each otsaid pairs ot coils, in a manner hereinafter more fully described.Referring to Figs l, 2 and 3, the polar armature P as shown comprises anonmagnetic arm 1S pivotally mounted at the to) and bottom on the pivotpins 19 and 20, so to rock on a vertical axis. The pivot pin l() issecured in the upper side of the arm i8 and is iournaled in a screw 2lwhich is threaded in the coil support 5; and the pivot pin 2O is securedin the bottom side oi" the arm 1S and is adapted to rest in anon-magnetic bearing plate 22 which is secured at its ends in recessesformed in the bottom iaces ot the pole pieces 4l and 3loi' the coils Dand E, respectively, as shown in Fig. l. lPermanent magnets 23 and Q/iare secured to opposite sides oi the arm 18 in any suitable manner, asby a bolt ln the particular construction shown, these permanent magnetsare U-shaped; the inner sides ot the legs div ge, making the spacebetween the legs slightly farther apart 'than the thickness of the polepieces, to permit a limited rotation ot the polar armature in ahorizontal plane. lt is not intended, howev r, vto limit this inventionto any particular construction ci permanent magnets, as it isappreciated that other constructions may be used. For example, the righthand. legs of the permanent magnets 23 and 24, as viewed in Fig. 3,could be vmade one permanent magiiet, and thev left hand legs ol thesemagnets as another permanent magnet, with a suitable connection betweenthem, as shown in Fig'. idurch a modified construction has the advantagethat the combined force tending to rotate the polar armature on its axiswould be the same, regardless ot which oi' the pole pieces was encrgizedto produce the required selection, ven though the magnetization oli thepermanent magnets should not be exactly the saine.

The arm 18 carries at one end an insulating block QG which is securedthereto in any convenient manner, as by a bolt 3l; andv to this block 26a contact support 2T is 'fastened by screws 32, best shown in F l. Thecontact support 27 carries resilient contact members 33 and 34: whichare adapted to make Contact, in the different positions ot the polararmature, with fixed contact posts G and H, respectively. The arm 18also carries at its opposite end a counterweight 3G which is securedthereto in any convenient manner, as by rivets, and which is ofsuti'icient weight to counterlnilance the contact members on theopposite end ot the arm l?) and to keep the armature balanced on itspivot points. The contact support 27 is electrically connected by a'flexible connection 30 to a binding post J which is secured to andinsulated from the carrying plate 6.

The coils D and E are so wound, and the legs oi" the cooperatingpermanent magnets are so magnetized, that when current oit a certainpolarity is caused to flow through either pair of coils, the cooperatingpermanent magnet will be attracted in one direction, thus causing thepolar armature to be rotated on its axis in a corresponding direction;and when current of an opposite polarity is caused to flow through thesame pair of coils, the permanent magnet will be attracted in anopposite direction, causing the polar armature to rotatecorrespondingly.

The other electrical connections between the coils and contacts areshown diagrammatically in Fig. 4, but since the various circuits will betraced hereinafter in the description of the operation, these fariouswires and connections will not be described in detail. The polarity andcontinuity of the circuit controlling the polarized relay embodying thisinvention may be governed in various ways, but for simplicity a simplepole changing switch S is illustrated in Fig. 4, it being understoodthat this switch is illustrative olI any suitable circuit controllingdevice operated manually or automatically.

Operation: Referring to Fig. li, a pole ioo f changing switch Sis shownin its middle or' neutral position, so that all current is cut off fromthe coils of the relay; and consequently the neutral armatures12 and 121are both in the lowerv or denergized position. The polar armature P isassumed to have been left in its righthand position, as shown, by aprevious operation of the relay. Vith the parts in the positions shown,when the pole changing switch S is moved to its lefthand position, thereis established a circuit for 4energizing the coils E which may be tracedas follows: commencing at the side of the battery K marked plus, wires37 and 38, switch S, wire 39, contact member 27 of the polar armature,wire 40, coils E, wires 41fand 42, switch S, and wire 43 to thefotherSide of battery K.

Assume that the direction of the flow of current in the circuit justtraced is such as to cause the pole piece 31 to become a south pole (asindicated by the full-face letter S in Fig. 3), and that the front legof the permanent magnet 24 is a north pole, as indicated in Fig. 3, thenthis leg is attracted by the pole piece y31, and consequently the polararmature will remain in its righthand position, as shown in the drawing.The neutral armature 121,y however, is picked up and will remain, pickedup as long as the switch S remains in its lefthand position and currentflows. Y

Vhen the pole changing switch S is moved to its righthand position, thecircuit just traced is interrupted and a circuit of opposite polarity isestablished which may be traced as follows: commencing at the side ofthe battery K marked minus, wire 43, switch S, wire 39, contact member27 on the polarized armature, wire '40, coils E, wires 4l and 42, switchS, and wires 44 and 37 tothe' other side of the battery K.

The circuit just traced causes the coils E to be againl energized, butthe current flowing is of an opposite polarity. Consequently, the polepiece 31 will now be a north pole instead of a south pole (as indicatedby the dotted letter N in Fig. 3), with the result that the back leg ofthe permanent magnet 24, as viewed in Fig. 4, will be attracted to it,causing the polar armature P to be rotated to the left, as viewed inFig. 4, thereby interrupting the circuit just traced at the Contactmember 27. The polar armature P will respond much quicker to the actionof current than the neutral armature 121; and' therefore, although thecoils E are energized by the circuit last traced, ythe circuit will beinterrupted by the movement of the polar armature P before the neutralarmature 121 can pick up.

The shifting of the polar armature P to the left establishes a circuitvwhich will energize the Vcoils: D and cause the armature V12 to pick up.Said circuit ymay be traced as follows: commencing at the side ofbattery through them in the circuit last traced causesA the pole piece 4to become a south pole (as indicatedk by the dotted letter S in Fig. 3),

then if the front leg of the permanent magnet 23, as viewed in Fig. 4,is a north pole it will be attracted by the pole piece 4 andconsequently the polar armature P will be held in its moved position aslong the pole piece 4 remains a south pole.

When the pole changing switch S is again moved to its lefthand positionthe circuit last traced for energizing the coils D is interrupted andthe armature 12 dropped; a new circuit of opposite polarity isestablished, however, which may be traced as follows: commencing at theside of battery K marked plus, wires 37 and 38, switch S,

wire 39, contact' member 27 on the polarl armature, wire 45, coils D,wires 46 and 42, switch S, and wire 43 to the other side of battery K.

The change in the direction of the flow of current in the circuit justtraced will cause the pole piece 4 to change from a south pole to anorth pole, thus causing the back leg of the permanent magnet 23, asviewed in Fig. 4, to be attracted to it. This action of the permanentmagnet 23 causes the polar armature P to rotate to the right therebyreestablishing the circuit irsttraced, for holding the polar armature inits righthand position and for picking up the neutral armature 121.

From the above description of the cycle of operations of a relayembodying. my invention, it can be seen that the relay rresponds tothree distinct conditions of current, namely, if current is supplied ofone polarity, the armature 12 will be picked up; if current of anopposite polarity is supplied the armature 121 will be picked up; and ifcurrent is entirely cut off from the relay, bothv of these armatureswill be dropped. The relay, therefore, may be termed a three conditiondevice, and it will be obvious that with a device of this type,constructed and arranged as herein shown and described, diiferent groupsof circuits may be selectively controlled through a sin-` circuit can beestablished only when the proper neutral armature is up and the otherdown.

Although I have particularly described the construction of one physicalembodiment of my invention and explained the operation and principlethereof, nevertheless, I desire to have it understood that the formselected is merely illustrative and does not exhaust the possiblephysical embodiments ofthe idea of means underlying my invention. Y

lVhat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of theUnited States, is:

l. In a polarized relay, the combination with two pairs of coils, eachhaving a neutral armature, oi' means adapted to respond to the polarityof current flowing in said. coils, 'for selectively determining whichneutral armature will be attracted, and circuit controlling meansoperated by said neutral armatures.

2. In a polarized relay, the combination with two pairs of coils eachhaving a separately movable neutral armature, of circuit controllingmeans operated by each armature, and means including movable permanentmagnets responsive to the flux produced by current in either of saidcoils ttor selectively determining which neutral armature will beattracted.

3. In a polarized relay, the combination with two pairs of coils eachhaving a neutral armature, of a polarized armature magneticallyassociated with said coils and adapted to respond to the polarity ofcurrent flowing in either pair, circuits for said pairs of coils, andmeans for controlling said circuits selectively in accordance with theposition of said polarized armature.

el. In a polarized relay, the combination with two separate pairs ofcoils each having a separately movable neutral armature, of a polarizedarmature associated with the pole pieces of each pair ot coils andadapted to respond to the polarity of current flowing in either pair,circuit connections for energizing each pair of coils, means controlledby the polarized armature for selectively governing said circuitconnections, and circuit controlling means operated. by each neutralarmature.

5. In a polarized relay, the combination with two pairs of coils, eachhaving a ncutral armature, of circuit controlling means operated by eacharmature, an energizing circuit for each pair of coils, and meansresponsive to the polarity of current flowing in either pair of coilsfor selectively controlling said energizing circuits, whereby current ofone polarity will cause one neutral armature to pick up, current of theopposite polarity will cause the other neutral armature to pick up, anda cessation of current 'will cause both neutral armatures to drop.

6. A polarized relay comprising two pairs ol' coils, a movable neutralarmature governed separately by each pair of coils, a polarized armaturedisposed in position to be attracted by either of said pairs of coils inaccordance with the polarity of the eurrentflowing, and means governedby said polarized armature for selectively controlling the flow ofcurrent through said pairs of coils.

7. A relay of the tractive type responsive both to the polarity as wellas the presence or absence of its energizing current, comprising incombination, two neutral relays having separately movable armatures anda common polarized armature, and means controlled by the polar armaturefor selectively determining which neutral armature shall be attracted,whereby one or the other of the neutral armatures will be individuallypicked up according to the polarity of the energizing current, and bothneutral armatures will drop upon cessation of the energizing current.

8. A relay of the traetive type responsive both to the polarity as wellas the presence or absence of its energizing current, comprising incombination', two neutral relays having separately movable armatures anda common polarized armature, and circuit controlling means operated bythe polarized armature for selectively controlling the energizingcircuits of the neutral relays, whereby one or the other of the neutralarmatures will be individually picked up aecoi'ding to the polarity ofthe energizing current, and both neutral armatures will drop uponcessation of the energizing current.

9. A relay responsive both to the polarity as well as the presence orabsence of energizing current, comprising, two biased neutral armatureseach provided with circuit controlling contacts, coils for attractingsaid armatures independently, separate energizing circuits for saidcoils, and a deadbeat polarized armature responsive to the polarity ofcurrent in either' circuit for selectively controlling said circuits,whereby one or the other ot' the neutral armatures will be individuallypicked up according to the polarity oi the energizing current, and bothneutral armatures will drop upon cessation of the energizing current.

l0. A polarized relay comprising two separately movable biased neutralarmatures, coils for attracting said armatures separately, and meansincludingr two permanent magnets responsive to the flux produced by saidcoils for selectively controlling the energizing circuits of said coils.

11. An electromagnetic device responsive both to the polarity as well asthe presence or absence of energizing current, comprising two biasedneutral armatures each provided with a plurality of contact ngers, coilsfor operating said armatures separately, and means includingy apolarized armature under the influence of said coils for causing saidneutral armatures to alternately pick up and drop away according to .thepolarity of the energizing current for said device, both armaturesdropping upon cessation of said energizing current.

12. A unitary electromagnetic device responsive both to the polarity aswell as the presence 0r absence of energizing current,

comprising two neutral relays supported side by side on a commonsupporting panel. and each provided with a neutral armature carrying aplurality of Contact fingers, a polarized armature common `to the tworelays and including two permanent magnets co-acting with the adjacentpole pieces of said relays, said permanent magnets presenting oppositepoles to the corresponding pole pieces, and circuit controlling meansoperated by the polar armature for selectively controlling theenergizing circuits of said relays.

RICHARD o. LEAKE.

